Here in Finland the Canon GM2 is XM2 which is a PAL version (correct if I am wrong). The Sony VX2000 is more expensive and more professional videocamera compared to the XM2. The VX2000 has better picture and sound quality (with XM2 you can still take better still pictures) than the XM2. And in many other ways it is more professional than the XM2. The Canon XL1s is in the same level with VX2000. The cost about the same and they are in the same level. Still some people say that the VX2000 is a bit better. One good thing on the XL1s is that you can change lenses on it and you can mount it in your shoulder. But in the other hand it is very big and it doesn´t have LCD, which is very handy when you use a tripod.

I would compare the XM2 to the Sony TRV950E. The cost about the same, but the Canon is much better. The TRV950 has much more functions (like flash, web cam, bluetooth, touch screen) compared to the XM2, but all these functions are useless for a serious videographer. The Canon XM2 has much better picture quality than the TRV950. It is also a bit bigger so it has a more professional feeling and it is also more user friendly.

So in the pro level I would rather buy the Sony, but the semi-pro level the Canon is better.

Micco